This invention generally relates to armor penetrating projectiles and more particularly to a kinetic energy penetrator projectile having a tail portion carrying a pyrotechnic material to increase after armor effects.
This application is related to copending U.S. Pat. No. 07/398,022, filed May 5, 1989.
Kinetic energy projectiles and particularly arrow shaped projectiles are conceived to destroy various types of armored vehicles. The long rod shape of the penetrator core, which is made of a dense hard metal such as tungsten, creates a high pressure condition behind the armor as it punches through the armor plate and also produces substantial spalling as the penetrator punches through into the interior of the vehicle. However, the after armor effects are limited with a long rod penetrator by itself. If the armor is not heavy, the spalling will be minimal and the pressure rise insubstantial. Accordingly, some kinetic energy projectile designs have included provisions for carrying an incendiary material to increase hole size and the spalling or a high explosive behind the penetrator to increase the lethality of the projectile behind the armor plate.
One such kinetic energy projectile is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,671,181 issued to Romer et al. This patent discloses a subcaliber, long rod penetrator which has a steel jacket that extends rearwardly of the rod shaped penetrator core to form a tail cavity. A winged tail fin assembly with a central hub is screwed or press fit into the jacket rearwardly of this core. A pyrotechnic incendiary charge is housed within the hub and the cavity behind this penetrator core. Upon upset, and passage of the core through the target armor plate, this tail unit is stripped away from the core and arrested by the armor adjacent the hole formed by the penetrator core, exposing and igniting the pyrotechnic material therein. The burning pyrotechnic material burns in the hole, widening it, so as to further destroy the armor. Thus, contact of the tail unit with the arresting armor plate exposes the pyrotechnic incendiary charge and causes it to ignite while the penetrator core continues to move through the remainder of the armor. The burning incendiary in the target armor in this design increases the destruction of the surrounding armor during penetration. This design, however, does not substantially increase the after armor effects of the kinetic energy projectile.
It is therefore an objective of the present invention to increase and improve the after armor effects of a kinetic energy projectile. It is a further object of the invention to provide a kinetic energy projectile which carries self igniting pyrotechnic grenade into the interior of the vehicle to increase the after armor effects.
The kinetic energy projectile in accordance with the present invention is designed to overmatch the target armor. The projectile comprises a long, rod shaped main penetrator body having a generally pointed front tip, and a stabilizing fin assembly attached to the rear portion of the main penetrator body. The stabilizing fin assembly forms a housing behind the main penetrator body for carrying a perforated canister containing a pyrotechnic material. This pyrotechnic material ignites during the penetration of the armor target plate and the canister becomes separated from the main penetrator body following penetration through the armor plate. The burning pyrotechnic material spews forth through the perforations in the canister to enhance the after armor effects of the overmatching projectile. Thus, the pyrotechnic material containing canister is effectively a pyrotechnic grenade which burns inside of the target tank or other armored vehicle creating very lethal high temperatures.
These and other features, objects, and advantages will become more apparent from a reading of the following detailed description taken in conjunction with the drawing and appended claims.